“When I was younger, I would have loved to have seen something like this—I would have loved to have seen more real women being their true, authentic self, and being praised for it,” is how supermodel Hunter McGrady describes why she’s pairing up with Olay’s Campaign to Maximize Women, a mission dedicated to encouraging more women to enter into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The 27-year-old, who has always been a fervent supporter of the body-positive movement and confidence for women overall, admits she’s asked to partner with brands a lot and, many times, has to turn them down because they don’t align with her values and what she preaches.
“Olay does—and they have from the very beginning,” she says, adding she started using the products when she was 14 years old and her grandmother and mother are huge fans. “This is a time for women to be empowered. We are so badass and so worthy of success.”
One other reason close to her heart: Her 10-year-old stepdaughter. (McGrady married husband Brian Keys last summer.)
“We are always talking about these kinds of things, so for her to be able to look at a campaign like this with incredible women being celebrated is epic.”
Likewise, McGrady herself is looking at what she calls “a level of heightened grace” during COVID. “We have to look inward and give ourselves some grace during this time. No one could have prepared us for any of this.”
“I’ve been taking my dog for a really long walk every single morning and using a meditation app called Insight Timer. I try to zone out, unplug and do my thing. I’m very focused on making sure my mental health is intact, healthy and good,” she says. “We have to appreciate our bodies and our mental health that’s getting us through, but it’s hard. I’ve definitely gained weight during the last seven months—and, guess what, that’s totally OK.”
